www.pdwc.org Vol: 25 Issue 6 15 May 2011

POOLEY BRIDGE Coaches leave Pooley Bridge at 5.30pm

FUTURE WALKS Coach Walks 8.00am start : 6.00pm return Sun 12 June Llanberis A: Dave Colbert B+: Pete Stevens B: Derek Lowe C: Roy Smith Sun 10 July Buttermere A: Graham Hogg B+: Barry Mather B: Phyl & Jim C: Joyce Bradbury

Thursday Car Walks 10.30am start Thurs 9 June Knott End B Walk with Dave Tilleray Meet at the large car park Thurs 14 July Higham B Walk with Dennis Barnish Meet past the church at GR811366

Sunday Car Walks 10.30am start Sun 29 May Darwen Tower B Walk with Dorothy Dobson Meet at Crookfield car park GR665191 8 ½ miles / 13.7km climbing 1500ft / 457m. Take A675 through Abbey Village after 2 miles approx turn left for Tockholes. From the car park we join the Witton Weavers Way, climbing up to Darwen Moor via Turn Lowe to the Tower. Here we should have splendid views before descending to Sunnyhurst Wood and Earnsdale Reservoir then Tockholes Plantation and back to the car park

Sun 29 May Ribchester C Walk with Derek Lowe Meet at the village car park 6½ miles/10.5km climbing 500ft/152m Parking is pay and display £1.70 for 8 hours From the car park we head for the River Ribble where we turn left and head for Stone Bridge, Stydd Manor and then through Stydd Wood and over Duddle Hill to reach Dean Brow. We cross the B6243 and head for Duddle Manor and around Cutlers Hill until we reach Huntingdon Hall Lane. Here we turn left and there is a short road walk until we arrive at Hougher Hall Farm. We now follow field paths to reach New Row. We turn right here and, due to a footpath closure, another short road walk is unavoidable. The next footpath has been diverted around Seed Green and this path brings us to Kellets Farm where we start to head back to Ribchester and arrive at New House where a short road walk brings us to the car park.

Sun 26 June Killington near Kendal B Walk with Chris Metcalfe Meet just off M6, Junction 37, (A684) Sun 26 June Wycoller C Walk with Derek Lowe Meet at Wycoller car park 5½ miles/8.9km climbing 600ft/183m Parking in the Wycoller car park we follow the footpath into Wycoller and take a stile on our right to cross fields and reach a footpath which leads us to Ravens Rock. This is the first climb of what will be a spectacular walk. After climbing up through woods we then level out and arrive at Germany. We continue to Little Laith and Alderbarrow then climb Lodge Hill to follow field paths across Mean Moss to pick up the Pennine Way which we follow around Brink Ends Moor to Brink Ends. We then pick up the Bronte Way again to return to Wycoller where you may want a good brew and a bite to eat in the tea rooms.

Today’s starting points: 1. A: Kirkstone Pass 2. B+: 3. B,C: Pooley Bridge

Kirkstone Pass to Pooley Bridge with Graham Hogg Grade A Distance 14 miles / 22.5km Climbing 2953 ft / 900m . Leaving the coaches at the top of the Kirkstone Pass, we commence the immediate climb of Stoney Cove Pike (2503ft / 763m). Our next hill, Thornthwaite Beacon, is only 21 metres higher at 2572ft/784m. It sounds straight forward enough but unfortunately there is a big rocky descent and re-ascent to negotiate first via the col of Threshthwaite Mouth. It’s now time to don your sandals and togas as we join the Roman Road for the march over High Street (sorry -no shops or pubs!). The Romans built the road to link their forts at Ambleside and Brougham near Penrith – thereby avoiding the valleys which at the time were heavily forested. Our onward route to Pooley Bridge follows much the same course as the “Road” with only minor deviations to climb a few peaks on the way. After High Street (2717ft/828m), we climb Rampsgill Head (2598ft / 792m), Kidsty Pike (2559ft/780m) and High Raise (2631ft/802m) before striding out to Red Crag (2333ft/711m) and Loadpot Hill (2205ft/672m). Our last summit today will be Arthur’s Pike which will hopefully reward us with some fine views across before we make our way down to Pooley Bridge and the coaches.

Gowbarrow Fell & with Tony Ingham Grade B+ Distance 10 miles /16.1km Climbing 2400ft / 732m

This is a linear walk during which we climb two of the lower Wainwrights. We leave the coaches at Aira Force then, after viewing the falls, we head east to Yew Crag and then north to a derelict shooting lodge. From here we climb to the top of (1600ft/488m). We descend back to the ruined lodge and proceed through Swinburn’s Park Wood to a minor road near Watermillock Church. Turning north along this road we reach the foot of Little Mell Fell, (1670ft/509m) which we then climb. The descent to near Mellfell House is steep and at this point we go east to Bennethead. We then follow a permissive path through two plantations and descend to a path running parallel to the road into Pooley Bridge.

Moor Divock with Dave Tilleray Grade B Distance 9 miles / 14.5km Climbing 650ft / 198m

We leave Pooley Bridge along the road to Roehead and then out onto the ancient moor of Moor Divock, visiting White Raise and the Cop Stone. We carry on to Helton and Whale Bridge, then along the River Lowther to Crookwath Bridge and through Lowther Park to Askham. We return to Pooley Bridge by going back over the moor via Heughscar Hill.

Heugh Scar with Roy Smith Grade C Distance 6 miles / 9.7km Climbing 575ft / 175m

We start our walk from Pooley Bridge itself. Although this walk is at the upper end of the C Walk guidelines, the walk offers excellent views of Ullswater and really is worth the effort. Leaving Pooley Bridge we follow the River Eamont for a short time before we move north-east. We make our way past Hole House Farm and on to the settlement of Barton. Barton Church, St. Michael’s, was built in 1150 and is well worth a look. From Barton we ascend by road, field and track to Celleron. From here we make our way past Winder Hall where we pick up a track, Brettestrete, a road used by Iron Age Man, later improved by the Romans. During our walk along this track we make a short detour to Heugh Scar for the views. We continue along the track for a mile or so before descending to cross tracks where we turn right and make our way back to Pooley Bridge